1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to continuous grilling of food items after they enter the cooker, are advanced intermittently along a U-shaped path of travel and are discharged from the cooker, the grilling being accomplished on both sides of the food items by inversion of the articles at a point along the path which permits even cooking and which includes an open bottom to reduce smoke production during the cooking process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus has heretofore been suggested for cooking food as it is moved along a circular cooking platform. Known additionally are automatic, oval cooking grills which turn the articles over to cook each side. Moreover, walking beam conveyors are somewhat commonplace.
However, in the field of continuous grilling of food, the improvements of my instant invention are novel from many important standpoints. I use a movable grid having spaced rods which interleave with the spaced rods of a stationary grid during raising of the food products off the latter and advancing the same along a U-shaped path each time the movable grid is actuated. Walking beams raise and shift two legs of the food-advancing grid whereas a tubular assembly controls the arcuate movement to advance the products from one to the other of the straight legs.
However, it has been learned that such cookers, while demonstrating improved grilling properties, may be prone to undesirable smoke production resulting from the accumulation of drippings in the bottom of the cooker. Yet further, more rapid and even cooking of the food items may be desired than the present designs may accomplish.